Beauty and the Beast
by Magemaster
Summary: Faberry Week Day 1: Fairytales (g!p) Quinn ends cursed into the form of beast on accident. Only time will tell if there is a way to break it. For who could ever learn to love a beast?
1. Chapter 1

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 1

I OWN NOTHING!

For Faberry Week Day 1: Fairytales. I know it's late and it certainly isn't a one shot and not Faberry only. However, this has been in my head for awhile now and Faberry Week gives the plot bunny an excuse to bite me into writing it.

This includes aspects from the traditional fairytale as well as Mercedes Lackey's _500 Kingdoms_ series and Tamora Pierce's Tortall series (which if you haven't read, I highly suggest doing so) and a tiny bit of _Once Upon a Time_. Kudos to anyone who spots what belongs to what.

Pairings include Faberry and Brittana with some Finn bashing, Artie bashing (sorry, but he fits the bad guy role for this idea), and the awesomeness that is Puck broship and Chang-squared loyalty. There is also mention of G!P in here and sex, but nothing detailed. If that's what you're looking for, I'm sorry but my talents do not pertain to that area.

* * *

"You're a monster Russell Fabray!" The Fairy Godmother who had been called in for assistance with an evil witch that had tried to steal the prince spoke with a sneer.

Russell Fabray, Lord of Wolfshire, laughed in her face. "I may be, but there is nothing you can do about it."

The woman frowned at him. Nothing she could do about it? She was a godmother! Of course she could do something about it! In fact, she had the perfect spell in mind.

"I curse you, so that all can see the beast you truly are!" She threw the spell at him.

The man simply laughed again as the spell bounced off of him and disappeared into thin air. "I am protected from such things as that!" He sneered at her surprised face. "Why do you think the witch wanted my infant son and not my worthless middle child?"

The Godmother's face firmed into a stubborn expression. "You will be punished for your cruelty one day, Lord Fabray." Now she understood why so many of the heir's gifts from the fairy godmothers had pertained to kindness and its fellows.

Startled screams rent the air. Russell stood and ordered the fairy godmother to be taken prisoner. He ordered other guards to guard his precious son and more to investigate the screams. The Fairy Godmother laughed and disappeared.

"Russell! Oh Russell, it's horrible!" Lady Judy came scrambling down the hallway. "Lucy's been cursed!" She turned back down the hallway. "Don't hurt her, you brutes!"

The guards brought forth the child. Only the child wasn't the pretty girl she had been. Her features had been twisted up with that of a lion's. Her clothing hung off her in rags and, in the shock at her change, switched between tears of pain and fighting to get the guards off her. As her clothing was nothing more than rags, her abnormal genitalia could be seen.

"What's going on? Father what's happening?" The ten year-old cried out, seeing her father.

"Send it away!" Russell ordered, seeing a way to get rid of the child that had caused him so many headaches since the day she had been born and he'd been forbidden from killing her outright. "Lock the beast away! It is no daughter of mine!"

The guards, accustomed to doing as ordered, did so. Judy wailed and tried to go to her favorite child, but was held back by her husband. She fell to her knees as Lucy was taken away.


	2. Chapter 2

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 2

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Lucy cried in her cell. Her clothing had not been replaced but her new fur was keeping her wonderfully warm in the otherwise freezing cell. She was curled up into a little golden ball, the only difference in her coloring being her mane and the tip of her tail which were a darker bronze color.

She didn't know much less understand what had happened to her. She knew it was a curse because she loved to read and her favorite things to read were fairytales and other tales of adventure. She just didn't know why she'd been cursed or who would want to curse her.

She did understand that the hatred she'd thought she'd sometimes seen in her father's eyes had really been there that afternoon in the ballroom. She'd seen and recognized the pleased look on his face when she'd been led away and he held her mother back from coming to her aide.

"Hush, don't cry little one."

Lucy startled and moved into a crouch. She blinked up at the woman who had spoken.

"W-who are you?" Lucy wiped at her eyes, hissing a little when her new claws caught in her fur and scratched her.

"I am, unfortunately, the one who caused this to happen to you." The woman crouched down and gently wiped Lucy's tears away. "I am so sorry little one."

"Why did you curse me? What did I do wrong? Was it because of how I was born?" Lucy whimpered, wondering how long she was going to be punished because she'd been born a girl with a penis.

"Oh no little one," the Fairy Godmother rushed to assure her. "No, the curse was meant for your father, to teach him to be kinder to those around him. You did nothing wrong. You are the way you are meant to be, aside from the curse." The woman looked so heartbroken at what she'd done that Lucy couldn't be angry at her.

"Can you undo it?" Lucy asked hopefully, shrinking back as the woman shook her head sadly.

"I can't little one, I'm sorry. Once a curse has been cast, it has to be broken." She did manage a little smile. "I can, however, adjust it a little. There is no time limit, as there normally would be. You will change back one day."

"Like in the stories?" Lucy asked, calming down. She knew the stories almost by heart. "But…I don't want a prince to save me. I'm supposed to be the hero and save the princess."

The Fairy Godmother held herself back from giggling. Well…Godmother Elena was always saying that some princes liked other princes instead of princesses, she didn't see any reason why the same couldn't be said for princesses. Or a Royal lady rather, as the girl wasn't actually a princess.

"We'll see what happens, alright?" She told the girl. "Now, what is your name little one?"

Lucy drew herself up to her full height, which wasn't much even changed as she was. "Lady Lucy Quinn Fabray, second daughter of Lord Russell Fabray and Lady Judith of Wolfshire." She deflated. "Only father said I wasn't his daughter anymore…"

"Hush, that man isn't worth the title." She sighed. "I am known as the Gray Fairy, but you may call my Godmother Gracie. I am the Godmother for this Kingdom of Schirmen and the kingdoms of Ceol, Welwillend, and Feroz."

Lucy nodded that she understood. "What's going to happen to me now? Am I going to be here forever?"

"No," the reply was immediate. "I have spoken to your mother. There is not much she can do, but with my help we can get you to a safe place where you won't be trapped and where you have a chance of breaking the curse."

"Where? And what will I do? Mama was going to have me train to be a warrior as well as a scholar because the king said girls could be such things." Lucy didn't know why she was babbling, but it was better than crying.

"You'll see, and your mother and I will work something else." Godmother Gracie promised. "Now Quinn, take my hand."

Lucy took the offered hand in her transformed one and held it gently. "Why did you use my middle name?"

"Because this is a new start for you and a new start deserves a new name, don't you think?"

Lucy pondered this for a moment. "Okay."

* * *

"Come on Q! Leave the books be and let's do something!"

Quinn looked up from her reading and her memories to glare at her jaguar-esque friend. "Really Santana? It just finished raining."

Santana had been brought to the small castle where Quinn had been hidden away three years ago when the girls had been fifteen. Like Quinn, she had been cursed into a bestial form. Like Quinn, she'd also been born with male genitalia. Unlike Quinn, she had been cursed on purpose by a rival in order to get her out of the way. She was also fully confident that one day, her girlfriend would appear to break the curse.

"Exactly, we can practice outside now!" Santana was fidgeting. She hated being pinned up indoors for any reason what so ever.

Quinn hated it as well sometimes, but had far more patience than the fiery Ferzian. Not that girl could blame her friend. Santana came from a land that was full of jungles to roam around in instead of the vast plains that Quinn knew so well. The air right after it rained was as close to home as Santana could get here in Ceol where they were hidden.

The small castle belonged to her mother's family and it was where Judy and Godmother Gracie had arranged for Quinn to live after the curse had bounced off of Russell and struck her instead. Quinn hadn't seen her mother since the night she'd been left at the castle, but the tri-monthly parcels assured her that her mother had not forgotten her and still loved her even if Russell was still a cruel, unloving man.

In regards to her at least. He absolutely doted on her older sister and younger brother. Quinn had long given up ever gaining Russell's love and approval. It wasn't worth it, although it had taken her years to realize this and almost as long to finally accept it.

Santana was lucky. Her family hadn't sent her away and wanted her to come back, curse or no curse. Santana stayed away because she didn't want her rival to curse anyone else in her family, nor was she confident enough to risk the girl she was in love with. Not when any action she did against her rival now would likely get her killed first with questions asked later, if they were asked at all.

"Fine, but I'm not helping you get the mud out of your fur or your clothing." Quinn closed her book and set it aside.

"Whatever, let's go!" Santana bounded out of the library, leaving Quinn to follow her. And, for now, to leave her memories behind.


	3. Chapter 3

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 3

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

"Brittany, wait up you silly duck!" Rachel hurried to catch up with her friend.

Brittany laughed and danced in place as her shorter friend caught up with her. "But Rae! The fair is in town! There might be news!"

Rachel smiled. "I know Brittany, but we still need to be careful. Aunt Sue can only do so much to keep who we are a secret and we need to stock up on supplies as well as see if there is any news for when she leaves to go train the newest batch of pages in the capital."

"I know," Brittany sighed, happy mood fading. She missed Santana and wanted to find her, but it would be all for naught if Lord Artie of Goose Grove found Brittany first. Brittany was certain he was the reason Santana had disappeared even if she couldn't prove it.

"Hey ladies," the third part of their trio jumped out at them from the trees, dodging Rachel's spell, "why so sad? The Puck is here!" he grinned at them.

"Noah!" Rachel glared at him. "If you don't stop trying to surprise us, I will turn you into a tree!"

Puck scoffed. "Yea, right. You'll turn Hudson into a real pig before you do anything to me."

"Don't tempt me," Rachel told him. She wove one of her arms thru his on one side as Brittany did the same on the other. "Now, why aren't you at the cabin with Aunt Sue?"

"The mad woman sent me after you guys to ward off the idiots in town." Puck explained. "I think she wanted sister time with Aunt Jean before she leaves."

"Right," Brittany said as they all went quiet.

Aunt Jean, as they had called the woman even though neither she nor Sue was in any way related to any of them, had died the previous winter. Their Aunt Sue had taken it hard, they all had. None of the three teenagers begrudged the woman her privet moments when she wanted them.

"So, where do my ladies wish to go first in town?" Puck asked, changing the subject. "I want to see if that knife trader from last time is here again. I also need more leather thongs for my traps."

"News, provisions, music, and books," Rachel replied.

"And keep a lookout for any strange nobles and Finn," Brittany added.

"Right," Puck nodded. "Call me if you need me," he told them and slipped away.

The two girls wondered thru the town going to the various shops and placing their orders to be delivered. The only places where they actually bought things they had to carry was at the various music booths and the book sellers. Rachel left it up to Brittany to ask after news. The blonde's innocently happy personality made people _want_ to tell her anything and everything that they knew.

There weren't any problems until they reached the edge of town, ready to make their back to their home.

"Hey Rachel, wait a moment!"

Rachel groaned, fingers itching to cast a spell as the young man came over to them followed by his panting little minion. She plastered a wide, fake smile on her face before turning around to face them.

"Can we help you Finn?" Rachel asked, swinger the basket in her hands out of his grasping range when he tried to take it from her.

"Do you want to go to the fair with me? Jacob can escort your sister if she wants to join us." Finn tried to smile charmingly, but looked more like a constipated toddler. Actually, a constipated toddler was probably cuter.

"Thank you for the offer Finn," Rachel shifted the basket again as he once more tried to take it from her, "but we really must be getting back. We simply don't have the time today." Or ever, really, but she didn't say that.

"Tomorrow then?" Finn asked eagerly. "You know, all the others girls would say yes if I asked them."

Brittany, tired of playing nice, stepped in. "Why don't you go and ask one of them then?" She twirled Rachel out of his grasping range. "Come on, Puck is waiting for us on the bridge."

"Undoubtedly, goodbye Finn, Jacob," Rachel turned and began walking away with Brittany. The blonde was setting the pace, meaning Rachel had to half-jog to keep up.

"We'll walk you to the bridge," Finn, taller than both of them, strode up behind them and tried to take Rachel's arm.

"No need," Puck slid between them after tripping Jacob. "Come my lovely ladies, our Aunt awaits our return." He set a quick pace, whispering to Rachel that they needed a hiding spell quickly.

Rachel whispered one hurriedly, making them appear to disappear into thin air. Once they'd crossed the bridge, she canceled it. She turned to scowl at Puck.

"What was that about?" She demanded. "Not that I'm ungrateful for the rescue, but my magic is not at your command!"

Puck sighed. "I know, but there's a new guy in the village asking about tall blonde dancers."

Brittany and Rachel both froze, exchanging looks. "What did he look like?" Brittany asked.

"Tall, about Hudson's height but thin. He wore glasses and moved kind of like you Britt, but not as smooth." Puck described the man he'd seen. "Brown hair cut short, dressed in expensive clothes like what you guys have for when Aunt Sue drags you to social events that you have to attend."

"Did anyone say his name? Was there anyone with him?" Rachel demanded, glad that they were almost home. They hadn't stopped walking, just slowed down so they could talk easier.

"They just called him milord, and there were about four or five guard types hanging about him. Mike and Tina warned me about him, said he'd taken to watching their stall since Mike's a dancer in the troop that's traveling with the fair and Tina's their healer." Puck answered, not liking that his friends felt endangered by the man's presence.

"I'm glad that we didn't get a chance to stop by and see them then," Rachel murmured.

"I have to go," Brittany announced. "If he finds out I'm here, he'll kidnap me and keep me hostage until I marry him." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'll never find Santana then!"

"Hey, no, we won't let him do that Britt, we swear it!" Rachel tried to reassure her. She led the girl up to their room as Puck took over putting things away.

Ever since Brittany had been found wondering in the woods, Rachel had sworn to herself that she would help the blonde. Brittany had left her family to search for Santana a little over two and a half years ago. Her search had led her to the village where Rachel and Puck lived. Rachel had nursed her back to health and promised to help her find Santana and a way to break whatever curse had been placed on the girl. The main reason she hadn't left yet was because she felt that Santana was close. If Lord Artie was here, however, she would have to leave or hide until he left.

Rachel was a trained singer just as Brittany was a trained dancer. She was also a mage. Her parents had sent her to the country on the behest of the Kingdom's Godmother so that she would have more space to practice both her magic and musical talents. It was also to get her away from lords who wanted to increase their holdings by wedding her to one of their sons and gain Berry Fields through that transaction. Rachel had made it very clear to her fathers' that she liked both men and women and was perfectly capable to find her own life partner. From what Brittany had told her, the blonde was in much the same way.

With that tying them together, they had begun what had become an almost sister-like friendship. Brittany wasn't always the brightest, but she could read people with pinpoint accuracy. She was also deadly with any type of throwing blade or physical fighting. Rachel had her magic, but Sue had insisted that she learn at least some form of physical fighting and at least one weapon because it wouldn't always be possible to use magic and sometimes punching someone got more done then casting a spell. So, Rachel had reluctantly learned both dagger and archery along with basic hand-to-hand.

Puck, while Rachel's cousin, was not of noble blood. His uncles (Rachel's fathers) had paid his apprenticeship fees for him to train as a huntsman. Because he'd always been protective of Rachel, he'd gone with her to Sue's and stayed there to practice his trade. He was certainly better at it than Finn Hudson, who was the local apprentice. It might have helped that he had a little bit of magic at his disposal, but his teacher had firmly beat it into his head that he learn how to do everything without magic first and then apply magic only when absolutely necessary. He had been the one to find the feverish and hallucinating Brittany in the woods and brought her to Rachel. By the time she was better, he'd placed her in the say category as Rachel and promised to help in any way he could.

Sue, and Jean to a certain extent, were the closest things to parents the three of them had. Brittany loved her parents, she really did, but being minor nobles with five children meant that money and attention were both spread thin. Being the middle child meant it was spread even thinner. Puck loved his mother and little sister, never thought about his father except to curse the man, and wanted to make his uncles proud to be his sponsors. However, he'd spent much of his time growing up taking care of his mother and little sister so he'd had little time to enjoy being a child. Here he didn't have those responsibilities and he rather enjoyed the freedom. Rachel loved her fathers' and her mother, but she was well aware of the fact that she was more of a pet project to her parents than anything else no matter what her fathers' said. Her mother had died shortly after she'd been sent to live with Sue and their relationship hadn't been very strong to begin with.

No matter how harsh Sue could be, how mean and downright cruel, she'd always been there for all of them in the time they'd known her. She was their teacher, their nurse, confidant, and above all, their aunt. Brittany may not have been around for very long, but even her attachment to the sisters was as strong as either Rachel's or Puck's.

So, to have this 'Lord Artie' show up and interrupt their lives upset them all. Rachel didn't want Brittany to leave and Brittany, for all she wanted to find Santana, didn't want to leave. She didn't know where to begin searching again.

* * *

Puck was the one who told Sue later that night after dinner what had happened. Sue listened, leaning back in her chair. They sat in silence while they waited for her to say something.

"Is that Hudson boy still trying to get you?" Sue directed at Rachel.

"Yes, and he's too thick to understand that I'm far from interested in him." Rachel replied.

"And are we certain that this noble is Lord whatever?"

"Almost completely," Brittany replied. "My family wouldn't be looking for me and if they were, they would use my name. Artie likes to think he's cunning and sly, but he's really not."

Sue stared at them. "No matter what, I have to leave tomorrow to make it to the capital in time for training this winter. I won't be back until late spring or even early summer." She paused. She hated having to leave right when there was a possible battle to be fought. "I could bring you with me, but there would be no work for Puck in the city and very little respectable work for either a dancer or a singer and far too noticeable."

The three exchanged looks. None of them really wanted to go to the capital to begin with. Puck and Rachel had more or less grown up in the countryside of Ceol. Brittany had lived in both and, aside from traveling with a dance troupe a time or two, had no real desire to settle down. She couldn't, not until she found Santana.

"No, I think our best bet would be to stay here for now. There are very few people who could point out Brittany as the person he's looking for." Rachel said slowly. "Between Noah and I, we are more than capable of keeping her hidden. If need be, we'll go and begin our journey earlier than planned."

Sue nodded. "Alright then. You know where I'll be if you need me." She looked at them. "Get on to bed, all of you."

They wished her goodnight and went upstairs to their rooms. Sue sighed, once they were gone.

"Idiot nobles ought to know when to leave enough alone."


	4. Chapter 4

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 4

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Puck sighed, looking around for the trap he knew that he'd laid down on this track. Sue had been gone for over a month now, word having just reached them that she'd arrived safely in the capital city. So it was up to him to keep the girls fed and protected. Losing his traps did not help with either goal.

Stumbling about, he nearly ran into a stone wall. Looking up, he grimaced. It looked like he had finally discovered the 'cursed castle' he'd heard about in the village. Stepping back, carefully avoiding the tangle of vines that'd he'd stumbled over in the first place, he gazed up at the castle to try and see what it was that always had people whispering about it in fear.

It didn't look like much, in his opinion. In fact, he had no idea where 'cursed castle' had come from. The building itself wasn't cursed. His magic told him that much at least. He'd have to mark it in his memory and bring the girls. Rachel would have a field day, trying to get inside and discover what it was about the place that struck fear into the villagers and those that traveled this part of the forest. Not that there were very many. Puck often had this entire area to himself aside from the animals.

"If nothing else," he muttered to himself, "it'll make a great place to hide the girls."

He began walking away from the castle wall. Clearly, he'd taken a wrong turn while looking for his traps. Now he'd just have to find his way back and start again.

Puck froze as something rustled in the trees. He listened, just now registering that there was no birdsong or any other noise one should hear this deep in the forest. In fact, it was eerily silent. The only times he'd heard the forest this silent was when a bad storm was about to break and the time there was a wild griffin wondering about. He drew his knife, wanting something in his hand in case he should be attacked.

"Trespasser!"

Puck yelped as he was taken to the ground from behind. He tried to turn over and get in his own strike, but the last thing he saw was a flash of angry green eyes and golden fur before he was knocked unconscious.

* * *

Rachel growled as she slammed the door in Finn's face. How dare he! Just because her aunt had left until summer and her cousin was on an extended hunting trip did not mean she was going to change her mind!

"Is it safe?" Brittany called down the stairs. "They're leaving, mostly. Lord Artie is still watching the house though…I think he might have seen me."

"It's safe Brittany," Rachel told her. "How could he have seen you?"

"I opened the window because I thought I saw one of Puck's birds bringing us a message. It was just a pigeon."

Puck had a way with sparrows. The little birds were infatuated with him. He used that to his advantage by using them to carry messages for him. Both girls knew, however, that he also carried a pocket full of cornmeal and another of birdseed for the little creatures at all times.

"Still no message?" Rachel frowned. "This isn't like Noah."

There was a knock on the door. Brittany rushed back up the stairs to hide. Rachel turned back to the door and cracked it open. She had to look up to meet the eyes of the man standing there. She really hated being so short at times like this.

"Can I help you milord?" Everyone knew by now who the man was even if they weren't inclined to help him locate Brittany. Except for Finn, who would do anything if he thought it made him look good and might get him what he wanted.

"Yes, I heard around the village that you took in a guest last summer." Lord Artie began.

"A guest milord?" Rachel used her most innocent, wide-eyed stare. "I'm afraid you must be mistaken milord. My cousin arrived last summer and has stayed with us ever since to ease her family's financial situation, but a family member isn't exactly a guest."

"Yes, I suppose," Artie glanced around the outside of the house. "I am certain that you and your…cousins…have heard that I am looking for my betrothed?"

"Yes milord," it took everything Rachel had not to turn him into a toad at that point. "I don't see what that has to do with my family sir as none of us are engaged to be married." She twitched her fingers, causing something behind her to fall. "I'm truly sorry milord, but my cousin isn't feeling well and I really must tend to her."

Quickly, Rachel shut and locked the door. Lord Artie tried to knock several times, but Rachel resolutely ignored him. As good of an actress as she knew she was, Rachel also knew that he wasn't buying what she was saying. Puck or no Puck, she and Brittany had to leave and they had to leave sooner rather than later.


	5. Chapter 5

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 5

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Brittany asked as Rachel locked the last of the spells in place. No one from the village had returned since Rachel sent Finn packing and turned Lord Artie away, but neither girl was willing to wait any longer.

"Not entirely," Rachel admitted, "but what else can we do? I'm not letting you marry that stuck-up little prick who has the audacity to claim you as his without your consent!"

Brittany nodded. She had liked Artie when they were children, but she'd never loved him as she did the fiery girl who held the missing half of her soul. She certainly didn't trust him after he seemed far too happy to hear that Santana had disappeared without notice and for no known reason. That he'd wasted no time in beginning marriage talks with her family had sent her running as fast as she could in search of Santana.

"Okay, are we going to try and find Puck first?"

Rachel nodded. "Yes, to give him the spell key at least. Plus, he knows more about buying horses than either of us and we need him for that. We can't walk all over the five hundred kingdoms, not when we're on a quest like this."

Brittany just nodded again. Sue had taken both horses with her to the capital so until they bought their own they were on foot.

They walked quietly throughout the night. They knew the nearby forest well enough to do so and it would likely be daylight by the time they came across land they didn't know. Rachel had a map for when that happened.

What they hadn't counted on was a raging thunderstorm raining down on them. Both of them _hated_ storms. That was just when they were inside. Outside in the middle of it they were absolutely terrified.

"We need to find shelter!" Brittany yelled to Rachel.

"I'm going!" Rachel jumped as thunder boomed over their heads. "That way!" She said as a flash of lightning illuminated something in the distance.

"What is it?" Brittany kept a firm grip on her small friend.

They both yelped when thunder boomed over them again. The rain was too thick for any real features to be seen of where they were heading.

"I don't care, so long as it gets us out of this!" Rachel replied as she slipped in the mud that had formerly been solid ground.

Stumbling, they hit the stone wall Rachel had seen. Wordlessly, they picked a direction and began to follow it. If there was a wall, there had to be a door. Rachel could sense magic humming through the stonework, but as it wasn't malevolent she ignored it until she and Brittany tripped thru the gate that crashed shut behind them.

"Come on, it's a castle!" Brittany told her, having seen a door ahead of them on the pathway. It was solid, if wet, stone beneath them now instead of mud.

They shut the door behind them firmly, blocking out the wind and rain and muffling the thunder. They both sighed in relief even as they dripped onto the stone floor now beneath them.

"Rae…where are we?" Brittany was looking around, trying to pierce the darkness. She dropped her bag down beside her.

"Give me a second," Rachel dropped her bag beside Brittany's and held up her hands. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on what she wanted to do.

"I still think that that is so cool," Brittany told her as she opened her eyes. There was now a glowing golden orb of light in Rachel's palm.

"So do I Britt, so do I," Rachel told her, managing a smile. "Let's look around, shall we?"

Brittany nodded and took the hand Rachel offered her. Together they made their way down the hallway. They came upon a dead end with three barred doors. They would have turned around, except for the quiet peeping of a sparrow.

Turning back, they spotted the hand hanging out from between the lower set of bars. The sparrow was clinging to the hand, pecking it until it received a response.

"Go on, dumb bird, get outta here."

"Puck!" "Noah!"

Puck, inside his cell, started. He flipped himself over so he could look out the little bared window his hand had been sticking out of from his most recent attempt to reach the lock.

"What are you girls doing here? Leave, now, before they know you're here!" He ordered them.

"Who?" Rachel shook her head. "Noah, there's no one here but us. How did you get here? Why didn't you send one of your birds to get us?"

"Nevermind that," Puck said impatiently. "Can you get the door unlocked?"

"If I can't, Brittany will be able to," Rachel replied. She went to work on the lock with her magic. "Now, answer my questions."

Resigned, Puck told her what he remembered from his capture, his thoughts of the castle, and what he'd learned since then. "How did you two end up here?"

"Finn and—"

"Behind you!" Puck yelped, cutting Rachel off.

The brunette turned and gasped as Brittany leapt back away from the creature that had appeared in the doorway that led back to the hallway.

"More trespassers!" The lion-beast growled out. "Are they breeding you wholesale now?"

"Q, what's the hold up?"

Another beast, this one black as a jungle night, pushed past the lion-beast. For a moment, it was as if all the air had been sucked out of the castle. It was broken by Brittany moving again.

"Santana!"

Santana managed to catch the flying blonde and avoid scratching her with her claws. "Brittany?" she said in disbelief.

"I found you! I searched everywhere for you but I got lost and then my friends found me and promised to help me. Artie is really mean and keeps trying to make me marry him but I found you and now he can't do that anymore." She said this all very quickly, pausing to kiss Santana every few words. "I love you and I found you."

"I…I love you to Brittany." Santana managed to get out as her shock faded. She wrapped Brittany in to the tightest hug she dared. "Te amo mi corazón."

The three watching were amazed that neither girl had noticed the curse on Santana breaking, leaving behind the human girl she normally was.

"That was rather…" Rachel began.

"Anti-climatic?" Quinn suggested, stunned to see her friend as a human woman instead of covered in fur.

"Yes…" Rachel shook herself. "Brittany, maybe you and Santana should get a room?"

They may not have noticed the curse breaking, but they were kissing for all they were worth at the moment.

"Right, San? I don't know where your room is and I want sexy times." Brittany told her loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Right," Santana nodded, "I'll show you."

The reunited couple left the other three behind. Quinn shook her head in disbelief. Rachel giggled and kicked the door hard.

"Noah, you will refrain from any foul comments or I'll leave you in there." She threatened. "I'm certain our hosts won't have any problem with that."

"No, I won't." Quinn told her, glad that her room was at the opposite end of the castle from Santana's. "Now, who are you and why are you here?"

"Rachel of Berry Fields," she curtsied as she'd been taught, "mage and singer. The young man currently sitting in your cell is my cousin Noah Puckerman, journeyman huntsman. While I do not understand it, he insists upon going by Puck."

"And of course you continue to call him Noah." Quinn smirked briefly before resuming her normal stoic expression.

"Yes, well, that is what happens when you've known someone since infancy," Rachel replied. "If I might have your name milady?"

"Quinn, and this is my castle." She was quite glad that she couldn't blush in this form. Instead of the horrified looks she normally received, Rachel was looking at her as if she spoke to giant lion-beasts everyday…or as if Quinn looked as human as Rachel herself did. "What are you doing here?"

Rachel straightened to her full height. Admittedly it wasn't much, but it would have to do. "Brittany and I were on the search for Santana when the storm began. We found the castle and sought shelter. We did not know that Noah was here."

"He trespassed," Quinn told her. "I am tired of the village idiots trying to come here and I thought that was what he was."

"Hey!" Puck protested. "The only people I would have told are Rachel and Brittany, maybe our aunt when she came back in case we needed a place to hide Brittany."

Rachel sighed. "Would you please release my cousin? He's harmless even if he can be annoying."

"No." Quinn replied.

"What? Why not?" Rachel demanded.

"I won't have an angry mob breaking into my castle when he returns to the village to spread the story of a monster living in the cursed castle." Quinn bit out in reply.

Rachel bit her tongue before she said what come to the front of her mind. "Then keep him here, but at least release him from this prison! It's freezing in here and I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if he's already ill."

Quinn took that moment to realize that the girl was shaking and not only from anger. "Very well, I needed a huntsman. He can take the position and you…you will remain as my guest."

Rachel fumed, but by now she had realized just how cold she was. She didn't see anything else she could do but agree.

"The servants will show you to your rooms." Quinn paused, "I suggest rooms on my end of the castle, and clean clothing for the lady. Give the boy the huntsman uniform." She turned and left.

* * *

The servants were invisible. Rachel itched to look at the spell work behind them, but refrained from questioning the silent servants. She quietly thanked them and entered her room.

Whoever and whatever Quinn was, she was certainly a gentlewoman. Rachel's room was warm and clearly designed to be used by a mage. There was a little side room attached as a workroom that Rachel promised herself to look over the first chance she got. On the other side was her own personal washroom, a hot bath already awaiting her inside.

Rachel wasted no time in sinking into the hot water. When she was done, one of the servants had set out a pair of thick socks and a flannel nightgown that felt like silk against Rachel's skin. She dressed hurriedly. Yawning, she looked at the bed.

…decision made, she crawled beneath the blankets and was asleep before she even realized it.


	6. Chapter 6

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 6

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Quinn watched from the library window as Santana and Brittany walked around the snow covered gardens. It had been barely two weeks since the two girls had arrived and winter had quickly settled in.

It was amazing the difference in her friend. Gone was her self-hatred and much of her erratic energy. In fact, it wasn't until she'd done it with Brittany that Quinn had realized she'd never heard Santana truly laugh.

Was that what love was supposed to be like?

If so, then Quinn figured she was screwed. Santana was lucky. She'd had someone who loved her before the curse and come to look for her after. Brittany hadn't even paused at the sight of Santana. She had just thrown herself at the other brunette without care and with declarations of love.

Quinn could admit it to herself. She wanted what they had, desperately. Not even because she wanted to be rid of her curse, but because she wanted that connection with someone. She snorted and shook her head. She might as well dream that her father would have a change of heart and welcome her back to Wolfshire with open arms and apologies. She felt that was as likely to happen as finding someone who would love her.

Because, unfortunately for Quinn, love was the key to breaking this particular curse. And not just any kind of love, but that of a lover. If it had been any kind of love, her mother's love might very well have broken it.

"Quinn? Are you in here?"

And then there was the little mage-singer that had arrived with Brittany. That girl was beginning to drive Quinn insane.

Did she have to smell so good? Did she have to treat Quinn as if Quinn was just another ordinary person? Did she have to have such a beautiful voice? Did she have to be strong and witty and confident? Did she have to be pretty and smart?

"By the window," she answered, managing to keep her voice level. "Did you need something?"

Rachel appeared from behind one of the numerous bookshelves. "No, I was coming to see if maybe you wanted to go for a walk in the gardens with me?" She asked hopefully.

"Did Santana put you up to this?" Quinn asked, not knowing any other reason why someone like Rachel would want to be in her presence.

The brunette shook her head. "No, but if you want we can go and throw snowballs at the two lovebirds while we take our walk." She smiled warmly. "Please Quinn? Being inside all the time isn't healthy for you."

Quinn faltered. Could anyone say no to the girl when she smiled like that? Quinn realized in that moment that she would do anything to keep that smile on Rachel's face.

"Alright, there's an excellent ambush point near the door." She suggested, once again glad that one couldn't tell if she was blushing or not in this form.

"Ah, wonderful!" Rachel took her paw. "Let's go before they come inside and disappear into their room again."

Quinn was a bit dazed. The only people who had touched her since her change without shuddering were Santana and Godmother Gracie. Rachel did it so naturally that it stunned her. Of course, Brittany didn't shudder either but then why would she? Brittany considered Quinn a giant kitten. Puck at least had a reason to be nervous around her. She had been the one to take him prisoner after all.

Quinn didn't understand what was going on. She hoped that someone would be able to explain it to her soon before she really did go crazy from the confusion.

* * *

Outside, she and Rachel started a snow war. Santana and Brittany fought back valiantly. Then Puck cheated by climbing up onto the roof and sending sheets of snow down onto them and they all ganged up on him. By the time they were tired, every single one of them was covered in snow that began melting once they were inside.

"That was really fun!" Brittany announced. "We should do it again tomorrow."

Rachel shook her head. "I don't think we left any snow out there Britt, but it will snow again soon enough. Next time, however, we are banning Noah from the roof."

"Yea, maybe we can set up one of Aunt Sue's traps like when Puck wouldn't stop trying to sneak in and out of the house thru his window." Brittany took the towel Santana had for her, kissing her lover sweetly.

Quinn growled in annoyance. "Would you like to join me in the library after you change Rachel? I doubt our companions are going to be very sociable."

Blushing, Rachel nodded. "I think I will." She took Quinn's proffered paw. "Would you mind if I practice there?"

"I have a music room you could use," Quinn began explaining as they disappeared down the hallway.

Santana and Brittany watched them leave. Santana was amused and wondered when her friend would realize she was falling under the little mage's spell. Brittany wondered if Rachel even realized she was flirting with the other blonde.

"They're cute, but dense," Puck summed up for them all. "At least she wasn't that dense about Hudson."

"Right, we should get them together." Brittany suggested. "It would be good for them."

Santana smirked. "Sounds like fun."


	7. Chapter 7

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 7

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Quinn watched silently from the corner as Rachel sang. She knew Rachel was a mage, but to her this was more magic than anything else she'd seen the girl do. She also knew this was slowly becoming an obsession.

Ever since the first time that she'd shown Rachel the mostly unused music room and heard the girl sing, she'd been coming to watch the smaller woman every time she was in here. If any of the others had noticed that there was now a pile of books sitting in the music room, they hadn't said a word.

Rachel finished her song and turned to Quinn with a smile. "What are you reading?"

Quinn felt heat in her cheeks and was, for the nth time, grateful that her fur hid her reaction. "I…honestly don't know. Your voice is very beautiful Rachel."

Rachel did blush and hers was very noticeable. "Thank you." She paused for a moment. "Would you like to go for a walk with me Quinn?"

"It's snowing outside," Quinn reminded her.

Rachel deflated in disappointment. "Right, it is. I forgot."

"There's an indoor garden," Quinn told her. "We could go there if you wish." Quinn really wished she could smile without it looking threatening as Rachel immediately brightened.

"Really? I've never seen an actual indoor garden. I mean, we have greenhouses at Berry Fields, but-"

Quinn placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. "Then I guess you're in for a treat, aren't you?" She offered the girl her arm.

Rachel took it, arranging it so that her hand was wrapped in Quinn's paw. "Lead the way Lady Quinn."

* * *

Unbeknownst to the two girls as they wondered inside the enclosed garden, they were being watched by their trio of friends.

"They're really dense, aren't they?" Brittany asked, pouting.

"Maybe not," Puck said softly, watching his cousin closely. "I think Rachel, at least, is trying to flirt with Quinn." He deftly dodged Santana's fist.

"Q won't notice. It took her nearly a year before she realized that we were actually friends." Santana informed them. "And I was mostly nice most of the time," she assured Brittany.

"Maybe we should just let them figure it out." Puck was cautious about interfering with his cousin's love life. Well, interfering in her life in general wasn't a smart thing to do. Rachel was incredibly independent when she wanted to be, which was most of the time.

"That'll take forever and a day." Santana retorted. "I still say we should lock them in a closet."

"How would that be any different?" Puck wanted to know. "Besides, Quinn would just break the door down or Rachel would just magic it open."

Santana scowled at him. "And you have a better idea?" She snarled.

"I do!" Brittany told them brightly.


	8. Chapter 8

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 8

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Back in the village, Artie sat with Finn and his guards in the local pub. He and his men were snowed in, unable to leave now that winter had firmly settled into place. It annoyed him, especially since he'd been so close to getting Brittany and possibly even her pretty little friend as well.

"No way!" Finn's laughed at his grimy little follower. "No one would want to go to that part of the woods, not even a mage!" He pushed Jacob out of his seat and the smaller man grunted as he hit the floor.

"I swear that's where they went!" Jacob continued. "What would a couple of country girls do in a big city anyway? They're at the castle!"

Finn and most of the other men in the pub laughed. Artie straightened, curious.

"Castle? I wasn't aware that there was any such place here." He motioned for one of the serving girls to bring more beer, laying several gold coins on her tray to pay for it. "I thought this village was beholden to either Berry Fields or Wolfshire, or possibly Frost Lake."

Finn shrugged. "There's a castle up in the part of the forest no one goes to. Legend says it's haunted by a great cat-beast of some kind."

"Really?" Artie leaned forward when he heard that bit. A cat-beast? Could it be Santana? If it was, it was even more imperative that he either find Brittany and her friend and kidnap them back to his father's castle or kill the cat-beast. If Brittany found Santana and broke the curse, he would never have the blonde as his bride. "Please, tell me about this legend. I've never heard it."

Finn and several of the other men were perfectly willing, with enough drink in them, to tell Artie everything that they knew about the castle and the supposed beast that lived there. The more he heard the more unsettled he became. Legends always had some basis in truth.

"How long as this legend been around exactly?" He asked.

Finn shrugged. "That castle's always been there. I don't know when the legend started." He frowned. "Puck's the only one dumb enough to go into that part of the woods alone and he ain't been seen in months."

There was laughter at that. Several of the men made comments about 'Puck learning his lesson in going into places he didn't belong'. Artie joined in.

"I say, I think I'd like a look at this castle." He suggested. "After all, if there is a beast rooming about, it's most likely a danger to the village isn't it?"

"Yea," Finn sat up, "it is! How would we know if we caught it or not though?" He shrugged, laughing at himself a bit. "It's probably nothing more than a mountain cat or something anyway."

"It'd be nice to know for certain though, wouldn't it?" Artie knew Finn wasn't all that bright. "And think, ridding the village of a threat like some monstrous beast would certainly attract the attention of a certain lady."

That got Finn hook, line, and sinker. If nothing else, he desperately wanted Rachel for his bride as much as Artie wanted Brittany. It didn't take much more than that for Artie to get not only Finn but other men of the village ready to plan a raid on the castle. If nothing else, the promise of possible riches would get the common men greed up.

Unnoticed by those plotting away at Finn's table two figures slipped out of the pub and into the night.

* * *

"What are we going to do Mike?" Tina whispered.

"Warn the girls and the Godmother," Mike whispered back. "We can send word to Lady Sylvester with the others, but that will take weeks to reach her."

Tina nodded. One reason they hadn't left with the rest of the fair was because two of their group had had babies. Once this stormed cleared, however, they were set to leave. She was nervous about leaving them without her healing services because she had been with them for so long, but what else could she do? Her friends needed her and she owed Rachel for saving Mike.

"You tell the others," she told him, "I'll send the message to the Godmother and get our things together."

"We'll find the castle," Mike promised her, knowing what other thoughts were on her mind. "We have to move quickly though or we'll be too late for our news to be of any use."


	9. Chapter 9

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 9

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Quinn's roaring laughter bounced around the library as Rachel tried to teach Puck how to waltz all while berating him for skipping dance lessons as a child.

"Oh laugh it up lion-girl!" Puck said as he glared at her. "I bet you can't do this any better than me!"

Her laughter cut off abruptly and she stared at him. Quinn sneered and stood up. She walked over to the two and offered Rachel a paw.

"If you would allow me the pleasure, my lady?" Quinn bowed over Rachel's hand once the smaller woman had taken hers.

"Of course," Rachel curtsied and let Quinn lead her to wider space than the one she and Puck had been using.

Puck watched as Quinn led Rachel through first the waltz they had been attempting and then others. As graceful as Quinn was, he'd never seen her move like this. Watching his cousin, he could see it in her eyes as she fell a little more in love with the lion-woman.

The moment was ruined when Santana burst into the library in a flurry of robes and wild hair. The two dancers halted their movements to star at the wild-eyed woman.

"You," she snatched Rachel's arm and yanking her towards the door, "something's wrong with Brittany."

Rachel broke free of Santana's grasp and flew from the library. Puck left a split second after her, managing not to fall on his face when Santana shoved passed him. Quinn, worried almost as much as Rachel, went at a slower pace and arrived at the bathing room closest to the small dance studio just as Rachel slammed the door shut in Santana and Puck's faces.

Santana pounded on the door. "Oi midget! Let me in!"

"Santana!" Quinn said sharply, wrapping her arms around the other woman and dragging her away from the door. "Yelling at _Rachel_," she growled at her friend, "and calling her names isn't going to help." She actually picked Santana up, leaving the upset woman to kick and punch at the air.

Either not noticing or uncaring, Santana continued to demand to be let inside. Puck, trying to help, slipped between the flailing woman and the door.

"Enough!" Quinn roared. "Puck," she ordered, "come and get us once Rachel has figured out what is wrong with Brittany."

She dragged Santana down the hallway. Puck winched as he heard the snarling Ferzian echo down the passageways of the castle until they finally faded. He hoped Quinn knew what she was doing because _he_ wasn't going to physically fight Santana. He liked his manhood exactly where it was.

* * *

Inside the bathroom, Rachel held Brittany's hair back as the blonde finished puking.

"Here," she handed the other woman a small cup of water. "Rinse and spit. How long as this been happening?"

"For a week now," Brittany admitted. "I was trying to keep Santana from finding out so she wouldn't worry. It's just a little stomach bug."

Rachel gently wiped Brittany's face with a damp cloth. "Why didn't you just come to me? I may not be much of a healer, but I can still help."

Brittany blushed. "Because I didn't want to interrupt your flirting with Quinn."

It was Rachel's turn to blush but she didn't deny it. "I think I might be doing things to subtly that or she's just not interested." Her eyes flashed. "Nice try, but we're going to my work room and finding out why you're getting sick." She paused, remembering a conversation she'd once had with Brittany. "Britt, when was the last time you had a monthly?"

Brittany frowned as she tried to remember. "I…I don't know."

Rachel smiled. "Come on, I think I know why you're throwing up."

* * *

Puck wordlessly followed them to Rachel's room and then went in search of the two missing women when Rachel sent him off to do so. He found them in the salle fighting. More likely, Quinn was guarding the door and Santana was trying to get thru it.

"Excuse me," his words went unnoticed. Sighing and hoping none of the girls tried to hit him for this, he went over to the knife rack.

Skipping Brittany's throwing knives, darts, and stars, he picked up one of the daggers that Rachel sometimes practiced with. It was heavy and dull, perfect for what he wanted. He threw it, watching as it hit the wall with a loud thud that brought both of the fighters' attention to him instead of beating each other senseless.

"Now that you're paying attention, Rachel wants us all in her room." Puck informed them. He sighed when both of the women blitzed out of the salle. "The things I do for you people…" he muttered, following after them.

He entered Rachel's room quietly. Santana was checking over Brittany and the blonde let her as Rachel flittered over Quinn treating the scratches the lion-woman had gained from fighting with Santana.

"San, I'm fine." Brittany finally broke the silence that had settled around them.

"Britt, you were throwing up not even twenty minutes ago! How does that mean you're fine?" Santana asked. "Midget's good, but not that good!"

"Thank you Santana," Rachel muttered, rolling her eyes at the semi-insultive nickname. Santana wasn't that much taller than she was.

"I'm not sick," Brittany told her. "We're going to have a baby."

Santana froze. "W-what?"

"We…are…going…to…have…a…baby." Brittany said slowly. "I…am…pregnant."

"Oh…" Santana reached behind her for a seat.

Brittany frowned. "Rae, I think I broke her."

Quinn snickered. "It's only shock. Give her a minute."

"Please refrain from celebrating in my room," Rachel told them, "that's really all I ask."

"Baby…" suddenly Santana's entire continence changed. She surged up and hugged Brittany tightly. "We're going to have a baby!"

"Yes, we are." Brittany's smile was radiant. "We should go celebrate in our room."

"Yea," and Santana swept Brittany into her arms and proceeded to carry her to the named destination.

"We aren't going to see them for a week, are we?" Puck asked, watching them go.

"I give it two days," Rachel replied. "We should do something to celebrate! Brittany loves to dance."

"I can have the servants clean up the old ballroom," Quinn said instantly. "It will only be us five, but that shouldn't matter, should it?"

Rachel shook her head. "No, but if you wouldn't mind, I would like to send news to our aunt about the news." She smiled at Quinn. "Do you think it would be possible to get someone here to marry them?"

"Very possible," Quinn assured her. Godmother Grace would undoubtedly be thrilled by the news. "Puck, would one of your birds be able to take a message for me?"

"Not in winter, no matter how close to spring we may be," he answered. "I can do so however, if you don't mind me be being gone for awhile."

Quinn looked at him. His fear of her was long gone by now, replaced with respect. Quinn found she much preferred his respect to his fear.

"That will be fine, and it shouldn't take you very long to get to the capital to your aunt. I can contact the Godmother easily enough." Quinn replied. "Get what you need from the kitchen and go."

Puck nodded. "Do you want anything while I'm gone?" He asked Rachel.

She nodded. "If you can, see if you can get into contact with Tina and ask her for information about babies and pregnancy." She smiled at his grossed out expression. "Please Noah?"

He groaned. "Alright, I'll try. I'll be back as soon as I can be." He nodded to both of them and left.

"We should start planning," Rachel told Quinn once Puck was gone. "Do you think we should wait for Noah to come back?"

"We can always have another one," Quinn promised her. "I think, based upon his reaction to learning how to dance earlier, he'd be glad to miss it."

Rachel giggled, nodding in agreement. "Yes, you would be right about that."


	10. Chapter 10

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 10

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Two days later found Quinn and Rachel once again taking a walk around the inside garden. Rachel had taken the chance to wrap one of Quinn's arms around her shoulders and snuggle into her side. She'd taken to being as hands on with Quinn as the other woman would allow her to be. She needed Quinn to make a move to change their relationship now even if it was just a small, tiny thing.

Rachel had never felt this way about anyone. When she had first seen Quinn, she had, admittedly, been a little bit frightened. Then she had gotten a look into Quinn's eyes. While the rest of her was some combination of lion and woman, her eyes were completely human. Rachel couldn't be scared of someone with eyes like that. So her fear had quickly given into curiosity and then Rachel realized that she was beginning to fall in love with the aloof woman. The more Quinn didn't resist Rachel's attempts to get closer, the more Rachel realized she had already fallen.

"Quinn?"

"Yes Rachel?"

Quinn was enjoying this. It had begun to dawn on her that she trusted Rachel. More than that, she wanted the smaller woman to be hers in all ways possible. What Quinn did not trust was her own feelings. What if she was misinterpreting Rachel's actions? Even worse, what if Rachel didn't love her but just wanted to be friends? They did spend most of their time together after all. Maybe Quinn was just feeling like this because of that.

"Would you be upset with me if I wanted to ask how…" Rachel trailed off, looking down. Normally, she would have already bombarded Quinn with the questions she wanted to ask. Actually, before Brittany she would have just assumed that Quinn herself had done something that deserved her being cursed.

"How I became like this?" Quinn asked her, stopping their progress around the path.

"Yes." Rachel said firmly. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I know that it's undoubtedly privet for you and what if you couldn't talk about it? Then it would be really cruel of me to ask. It's kind of cruel anyway, isn't it? You probably don't want to talk about-"

Quinn had placed a finger against her lips to silence her. "It's fine Rachel. You can ask. I…don't mind." Thinking about it as Rachel fell into silence, she found she really didn't. Santana knew, after all.

"How did you become like this?" Rachel finally spoke again. "You hardly seem like the kind of person who would be cursed this way."

Quinn chuckled darkly. "I wasn't as a ten year old child. Who knows if that would still be true if I had remained under my father's influence?" Quinn shrugged but didn't remove her arms around from Rachel's shoulders. "I was cursed by the godmother on accident."

"How does a godmother curse someone on accident?" Rachel asked, appalled.

"She was trying to curse my father," Quinn explained. "He is by no means a…nice man or a kind one. He's hated me ever since I was born because I was born…different."

"You were born with a penis," Rachel told her frankly, "just as Santana was. That I already knew Quinn."

"What? How?" Quinn looked down at her in surprise. Rachel was blushing.

"Well…I know about Santana because Brittany told me. I grew up with two dads and Noah was my constant companion as a child Quinn." Rachel explained. "I…well…I know that's not a ruler in your pocket every time I hug you." She really hoped her face couldn't get any redder then in already was.

"Oh…" Quinn trailed off, blushing beneath her fur. "I see…it doesn't bother you?"

"No, why would it?" Rachel asked her. "You're still Quinn, with or without male genitalia or fur." She stroked the fur on the paw she had in hand for emphases.

"I…it's not _normal_ Rachel. _I'm_ not normal." Quinn replied, trying to pull away.

"Nonsense," Rachel kept a firm hold on Quinn's paw. "Normal is vastly overrated anyway. I'm a mage and a performer. I happen to find normal incredibly boring."

Quinn couldn't help it. She laughed. "I shall keep that in mind."

"Good. Now, you were telling me about the day you were accidentally cursed?"

Sighing, Quinn nodded. "Yes. My father is cruel but not stupid. He, and undoubtedly my baby brother by now, is magically protected from magical attacks. Curses fall under that heading. It bounced, for lack of a better term, off of him and unto me. He disowned me in that moment."

"He sounds horrid." Rachel replied. "He sent you here?"

"No," Quinn shook her head. "That was my mother and Godmother Gracie, the Gray Fairy," she explained. "Father would have left me to rot in the dungeons until I died. He would have killed me the day I was born if mother and my maternal grandparents, the Lord and Lady of Frost Lake, hadn't forbidden him from doing so."

"He is horrid." Rachel said fiercely. "He had no right to treat you like that Quinn. It's his fault that you're like this instead of the undoubtedly beautiful woman you are beneath the fur."

Quinn smiled at Rachel's defense of her. It boosted her confidence that even though Rachel had never seen her as a human, the brunette was certain she was beautiful.

"I've been here ever since." The blonde continued. "The Godmother ensured I had tutors for anything I wanted or needed and my grandparents swore them to secrecy. It was my mother who thought of the invisible servants and my grandmother who arranged for the mage to cast the spell and teach me to use them. When Santana was cursed, the Godmother brought her here to be my companion as well as for her own safety."

"I'm glad you weren't completely alone." Rachel told her.

"It helped that I was naturally a shy child before the curse," Quinn hurried to tell her, wanting to get Rachel's smile back as soon as she could. "When I was cursed and told I was being sent here, I told the Godmother that I wanted to be the brave knight rescuing the lady, not the lady needing to be rescued."

Rachel laughed. "Quinn, somehow, even like this, I don't think you need to be rescued. I think you're perfectly capable of rescuing ladies in distress."

"Oh, and how do you know that?" Quinn challenged.

"Because you rescued me," Rachel told her.

Quinn stopped them again. "How did I rescue you Rachel?" If anything, it was the other way around.

"Before I came here and met you, I was certain that I would either end up alone or marrying whatever person my fathers' found for me that wasn't completely unsatisfactory." Rachel explained. "I wasn't the most popular child in Berry Fields, mostly because I am amazingly talented in both magic and performing and I wasn't afraid to show it."

"Why else?" Quinn wanted to rip apart the people who put that idea into her Rachel's head.

"My fathers' aren't exactly the most…attentive parents. Once I was old enough, they just seemed to lose all interest in me. So long as I wasn't causing trouble or putting unwanted demands on their time, they pretty much ignored me." Rachel sighed. "My mother was a little different. For the longest time I thought it was sheer coincidence that my music teacher and I looked so much alike and then I found out she was my mother. Our relationship was…strained after I found out. She died shortly before I was sent to Aunt Sue."

"Do you miss them?" Quinn asked gently, carefully wiping away Rachel's tears.

"I love all three of three of them," Rachel began, "but for the most part no, I don't miss them. Out of all the adults in my life, Aunt Sue has been the closest thing Noah and I have ever had to an actual parent. The same with Brittany."

"I miss my mother," Quinn admitted softly. "My older sister wanted very little to do with her 'freak of a little sister' and I've never actually met my baby brother. I'd rather forget that I actually have a father that still lives."

"You aren't a freak Quinn," Rachel reached up and wiped Quinn's tears away. "You are special, incredibly so. You are highly intelligent, one of the best swordswomen I have ever seen, a wicked chess player, and a fine dancing partner."

"Rachel…" Quinn swallowed, "have you been…flirting with me the entire time you've been here?"

"I was wondering when you would realize that." Rachel told her, smiling. "Not the _entire_ time. At first I just wanted to be your friend…but Quinn, the more time I spent with you the more I realized that I wanted to be able to call you mine. I want what Brittany and Santana have…well, not exactly what they have but my own version of that. I want it with you."

"Even if I remain like this forever?" Quinn asked her.

"The sex would certainly be interesting," Rachel commented, drawing shocked laughter from the blonde, "but yes Quinn, beast or human I want you."

"I…want you as well Rachel." Quinn admitted shyly, letting her old self through a little bit. "Would you allow me to court you?"

"Of course, I would be honored," Rachel accepted.

"Then would you join me for dinner tonight in the library?" Quinn asked her.

"Yes," Rachel leaned up and kissed Quinn's cheek since her muzzle didn't really allow her to kiss where she wished to.


	11. Chapter 11

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 11

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Puck frowned, turning to listen to the sounds around him again. It had been awhile since he'd been this far from the castle. Still, the woods themselves were still thick with snow that made travel difficult for even the most determined of travelers. Or desperate, he admitted to himself.

His sparrows, a few of them anyway, always stuck around no matter the season. He prided himself on the care he gave the ones who stayed throughout the winter. They were loyal little birds, many of which had made the trip with him from Berry Fields. As they weren't alarmed by what he was hearing then it meant it wasn't dangerous.

He began walking again, keeping a watch for anything out of place. The weather was clear for now and beginning to warm up, but it would be weeks still until the less used roads and path would be safely travelable. Because he was paying such close attention, he was able to duck the arrow that came flying at his head.

"Hey!" He shouted, drawing his long dagger.

He dodged the form that dropped out of the trees. Swinging his blade, he slashed at the masked figure who dodged swiftly out of the way. Another arrow came from somewhere and he dodged it again.

"Damn bandits!" He cursed, using a move Santana had taught him and knocking the other guy's legs out from under him. Puck was quickly on him, yanking his mask off. "Mike? What the hell man?"

Mike blinked at him. "Puck?"

"Yea, Puck you crazy gypsy!" He rolled away from Mike as another arrow was shot at him. "Tina! Stop shooting at me you crazy witch!"

"It's 'healer', idiot," Tina dropped down from a tree a few feet away from where he and Mike had been fighting. "Where are the girls?"

"Safe, why aren't you with the troupe and the rest of the fair?" Puck asked as he stood up.

"Several of the women gave birth so we stayed in the village." Tina explained. "We sent them on ahead when we heard Lord Artie planning with Hudson."

Puck cursed. "That can't be good." He looked at them. "So you came into the woods to search for us?"

"Yes," Mike answered, going to stand beside Tina. "Rumor has it that you three went to the capital to join your aunt. The other is that you're dead in the woods and the girls are trapped in the cursed castle."

Puck couldn't help his reaction. He burst out laughing. Tina rolled her eyes at him and went to gather her and Mike's things from where they'd hidden them.

"Are you quite finished?" She asked him.

"Yea, yea, but the girls are staying at the castle of their own free will; I swear it on my life." Puck told them. "If you're here, then I don't need to go to the village." He paused, wondering just how much trouble he'd get into for bringing the two gypsies to Quinn's home. "Come on, I'll take you back to the castle and you can tell us all the news about what those idiots in the village are planning."

"They won't wait much longer before they make a move," Mike warned. "We'd've been sooner but the weather just started making travel possible."

Puck shrugged. "Then we can't waste any time." He paused, a smirk beginning to form. "What say we set up some traps?"

The two gypsies exchanged smiles. Tina, despite being a healer (of sorts), had little problem with setting up tricks and traps for those who meant harm to the ones she considered friends. Mike loved a good trick or two. Puck was Puck and loved to mess with Hudson since the other man could never prove it was Puck getting back at him for trying to flirt with Rachel.

"Let's do this then." Tina told them.

* * *

Quinn laughed as Santana chased Rachel around the ballroom. Rachel proved to be just that little bit faster so she stayed out of range. Beside her, Brittany was laughing as well. Neither of them had been there to know what had caused the brunettes antics, but they were certainly enjoying them.

"I'll catch Santana, you catch Rae," Brittany told her.

"Alright," very few people said no to Brittany. Quinn was fairly certain that Brittany was perfectly capable of commanding troops if she wanted to.

Catching her love-interest, Quinn quickly dodged Santana who ran straight into Brittany's arms. Rachel giggled.

"Thank you Quinn." She grinned. "Santana, you still have tinsel in your hair. Red really is a lovely color on you."

"Why is there tinsel in San's hair?" Brittany asked, keeping a firm hold on her lover.

"I was trying to decorate the ballroom and Santana surprised me." Rachel glared at her fellow brunette. "She's lucky the tinsel was only dumped on her. I could have turned her into a kitten or something on accident."

"Yea right midget!" Santana retorted. "You forget the part where you decided to be sarcastic and irritating."

"Rae wasn't joking. The first time I surprised her I got turned into a kitten and Aunt Sue loves to tell the story when Puck did it and got turned into puppy." Brittany told them. "I was a really cute kitten."

"Yes, you were Britt," Rachel assured her. "I apologize for irritating you Santana, but it was far too good an opportunity to resist."

Santana scoffed, but waved it aside. "Whatever, can we just get this done already?"

They got back to work, this time Santana not trying to annoy Rachel every chance she got. Just a few of them. Their fun was interrupted when Puck threw open the ballroom doors.

"Sorry guys, but I've got bad news."


	12. Chapter 12

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 12

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

"We're not going to let them succeed." Rachel told Quinn much later that night.

Santana and Brittany were in their room, undoubtedly cuddling as Brittany reassured Santana that Artie wasn't going to win. Tina and Mike were settled into a guest room. Puck was supposed to be in his room, but knowing her cousin he was probably stalking around the curtain wall looking for weak points in the dark. She and Quinn were in the library.

"How? We're five people against who knows how many!" Quinn snarled. "I can't order the servants to fight Rachel, they aren't meant for that. I'm not even certain that it's a possibility."

"It's not, you're right about that. And we're six people, because pregnant or not Brittany is going to insist upon fighting." Rachel told her.

"I could send them away." Quinn was muttering to herself now. "Puck can take you all at least as far as the capital if not all the way into Feroz. Santana's no longer cursed so it-"

She was cut off as Rachel kissed her. Stunned, she didn't do anything even after Rachel released her.

"Don't be foolish Lucy Quinn Fabray!" Rachel did her own version of a snarl. "We are not, _I_ am not, abandoning you here!"

Quinn shook herself. "I'm just a beast Rachel. I can give them something to fight and give you more time to get away and be _safe_." Her cheek stung sharply from Rachel's slap.

"You are not a beast Quinn! I never would have fallen in love with a beast and I've known several in my lifetime." Rachel shook, with anger or tears she wasn't entirely sure. "I'm in love with you idiot and I don't abandon the people I love!"

"You love me?" How had they even gotten on this topic?

"Of course I do, if the last several weeks since the garden have been any indication." Rachel snapped out. "So stop being so godsdamn stubborn and accept it!"

Rachel was yanked into Quinn's chest as the lion-woman hugged her. Rachel grasped onto her and cried.

"I love you Rachel, that's why I want to send you away. I don't want you to get hurt." Quinn told her.

"I'm not leaving you." Rachel told her. "I'm no more a useless damsel then you are. You might be my hero, but that doesn't mean I'm leaving you to fight on your own." She hugged the other woman tighter. "You're stuck with me Quinn, just accept it. You can't argue with me."

Quinn chuckled. "I guess I have to then, don't I?"

Her body suddenly jerked and Quinn snarled in pain as she let go of Rachel. She tried to turn but fell to the floor as her body continued to spasm. She thought she heard Rachel crying out, but the pain quickly overwhelmed her and she passed out.

* * *

"Quinn! Quinn!" Someone was shaking her.

Groaning, Quinn rolled herself onto her side and wrenched open her eyes. "Rachel?"

"I'm right here," Rachel gently touched her face. "Oh Quinn…I was right you know. You are a stunningly beautiful woman."

"What?" Quinn asked in confusion.

"Here," Rachel reached over and took one of Quinn's hands in her own and brought it into Quinn's line of sight. "See?"

"I'm…I'm human?" Quinn scrambled to sit up. Rachel caught her when she slipped in her hurry.

"You've always been human Quinn," Rachel told her.

"I…I want to see Rachel. I _need_ to see it, to know this isn't some kind of wishful dream." Quinn told her, hazel eyes looking at Rachel pleadingly.

Smiling, Rachel nodded. "Of course," she leaned forward and kissed the blonde woman. "Come on."

She helped Quinn to her feet. It took a few moments for Quinn to steady herself. It had been nearly a decade since she'd been in a completely human form. Her body and mind had both become accustomed to moving more like a lion than a human. With Rachel's help so Quinn didn't go sprawling to the floor, they made their way to the nearest full length mirror.

Quinn unashamedly gazed at herself. She'd honestly avoided mirrors as much as she possibly could while growing up. Even when she had been Lucy she had avoided mirrors. Now, glancing at Rachel's beaming reflection, she was beginning to see what others had seen when she was a child and what Rachel had seen since they had first met.

"Was this what you saw every time you looked at me?" She asked softly, a bit surprised at her voice. It was more human now, without the growling undertones of her beast-self.

"More or less," Rachel replied. "It's in your eyes Quinn."

"Rachel…" Quinn leaned down and kissed her. Rachel wasted no time at all in kissing back.

The moment was broken when Puck's voice came echoing down the hallway.

"Hey! Get away from my cousin!"

Quinn sidestepped him, bringing Rachel with her. "Really Puckerman, is that how you treat your employer?"

"Wha-? Quinn?" Puck got back to his feet to stare at her. "The spell broke."

"Clearly," Quinn deadpanned. She yelped when Puck swung her about in a hug. "Put me down!" She demanded.

"Noah! Stop manhandling my lady!" Rachel demanded. She quickly snatched Quinn back to her side once Puck had stopped.

"Sorry, but this is great!" Puck was smiling. "Now I can give you the 'hurt my cousin and die speech'."

"Noah! You will do no such thing!" Rachel admonished.

"What is going on? Do you idiots have any idea how much noise you're making?" Santana snarled, coming down the hallway. "Who is…Q?"

"Yes Santana, it's me." Quinn grunted as Santana hugged her in a rare show of affection.

"This is great Q," Santana told her. "Although you're shorter now."

"We're the same height!" Quinn protested.

Rachel laughed at them. She was enjoying just how easily Quinn was slipping back into being human. She was enjoying just how much Quinn _wasn't_ different. With or without the fur, Quinn was still Quinn.

* * *

"So we're really going to do this?" Tina asked several days later. They'd had to wait for the excitement of Quinn's change to calm down before they could get any serious planning done.

"Yes," Quinn replied. Rachel was sitting on her lap, leaning against her with her right hand wrapped around Quinn's left. "This is my home, our home," She smiled at Rachel. "We're going to defend it."

"With six people?" Mike asked. In the short time he'd know Quinn and Santana he'd found that he liked them. He wanted them all to survive so he could get to know them better.

"For now," Quinn replied. "Puck's already sent one of his birds to the Godmother, my grandparents, my mother, and Santana's family as well as their aunt, Brittany's family, and Rachel's fathers'."

"And do you think any of them will be willing to help or get here in time to do so?" Tina asked.

"My family won't be able to," Santana told them. "They're too far away." She smiled at Brittany beside her. "We still had to invite them to the wedding though." She didn't want Brittany to fight, but the other woman wasn't going to let Santana fight without her.

"The Godmother will help if she can," Quinn informed them. "As it is, I want us to plan on how to fight with just the six of us."

"Noah and I are already setting up traps around the curtain wall," Rachel informed them. "My fathers' may or may not send help. Like Santana' however, I did need to send them an invite to the wedding."

"If we survive this," Puck muttered softly to himself as he watched the two, well four really, most important girls in his life. He was bound and determined that they, at least, would survive. Louder, he added in that the traps he and the gypsies had laid in the forest would slow down whatever group was headed their way.

"I have a question," Brittany told them. "We're preparing for an army, but just how many of the villagers are actually going to want to come to the 'cursed castle'?"

"With enough money paid out, I'd imagine quite a few." Mike replied. "Hudson may not be very smart, but he is charismatic when he wants to be." He paused. "I think it also depends on how many men Lord Artie can get from his own holding."

Rachel sighed. "It's a pity that we can't just hire enough servants to put on a show. They'd look pretty stupid to show up here expecting a fight with a beast only to be received by the lady of the castle, her betrothed," she smiled widely at Quinn, "and their friends."

"Actually, I rather like that idea." Quinn told her. "I just don't see how we could pull it off."

"We'll come up with something," Rachel assured her. "If nothing else, we trap them all and we send them packing with their tails between their legs."


	13. Chapter 13

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 13

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

Artie stared up at the curtain wall of the castle. As far as castles went it was small, but 'castle' was still really the only word for it. It certainly didn't look like a cursed or even haunted castle. Really, the only eerie thing about it was that there seemed to be no one about.

"This is it?" He turned to Finn. "It's not much. Hardly the terrifying place that was described."

Finn shrugged. "Like I said, it's just a bunch of stories. There's nothing here."

Artie doubted that. Someone (or something) had to have set up the various traps that the men had fallen into. So far four of them had been sent back to the village with broken bones because the idiots just kept walking into them. Trip wires, hunting snares, shallow pit traps (luckily without spikes in the bottom), and damaged paths had halted their progress severely.

"Even so, find a way inside." He smirked. "We need to make certain of the beast, do we not?"

Finn smiled stupidly. "Yea, we do!" He eagerly went to 'encourage' the men to find a way in.

After setting off several more traps, they finally discovered the main gate. His guardsmen opened it, the rusting iron groaning in protest. For an apparently uninhabited castle, the courtyard and what could be seen of the nearby gardens looked well cared for.

"Should we knock on the door?" Finn asked, scratching his head.

Artie rolled his eyes. "Why bother? Break it down."

The front door was broken down, sending a flight of sparrows shrieking into the sky. Everyone waited, but nothing happened. Several of the men chuckled nervously.

"Well, that was rather rude."

All of them spun to face to woman who had spoken. Many of the men went slack jawed at the blonde beauty standing behind them. Dressed in riding garb with her hair loosely held back, hazel eyes piercing them coldly, she was an icy beauty to be certain. Those with enough mental power to think whipped off their hats and helmets as she strolled past them. She stopped to inspect the door.

"You could have knocked." She informed them.

Quinn was nervous, knowing that this part was important. She had to set them up for the others to trap them. No one, not even the Godmother, had responded. Either they hadn't had the chance or the birds had never reached them. The latter was _not_ said around Puck.

"We apologize Lady," Artie said stiffly. "We had no idea that someone lived here." He thought quickly. "The village claimed legend of a beast that lived here. In curiosity, Huntsman Hudson and I got together this group to see if the legends were true. We seek to rid the country side of the beast if at all possible."

Quinn quirked an eyebrow at him. This was Lord Artie? He reminded her a bit of her father, but she didn't find him terrifying. Then again, he hadn't tried to rip apart her relationship nor chase her who knew how far. Hudson just looked ridiculous. If he thought that smile was charming he was sorely mistaken.

"The beasts that lived here are long gone, I'm afraid," she informed him. Rachel had told her to mix just enough truth in what she said to make everything she said believable. Quinn was trying her hardest to follow that advice. "You came all this way for nothing."

Artie nodded stiffly. "I suppose so. However, I also ride in search of my fiancée. She and the friends she was visiting have disappeared."

"The only people here are my servants and myself as my wife and our visiting friends have gone to visit family elsewhere for awhile." Quinn paused. "My Huntsman might know something of lost travelers."

"May we speak to him then?" Artie asked. "And your name as well Lady?"

"Lady Quinn of Frost Lake," never letting her gaze drop from Artie's, she gave him a brief bow of superior to subordinate. She knew exactly how insulting that was, especially between two people of roughly the same rank. "As for speaking to him, you would have to find him first."

She took a careful step inside the castle.

"I see…" Artie watched her. "I recently visited Frost Lake."

"Oh? I trust my grandparents and sister are well then?" Quinn wasn't going to be tricked that easily. If her parents had still followed the planes that had been discussed when she was at Wolfshire, then her sister would be inheriting Frost Lake and thus would be living with there from the age of eighteen onwards.

"Quite well, but they never mentioned a second sister." Artie replied. "You're lying. Capture her."

His guardsmen leapt forward to do as ordered, shuffling the confused villagers aside. Quinn smirked and drew the sword on her hip. With a slash, she cut the cord holding the trap open. There was an audible snap as guards, villagers, and noble alike found themselves wrapped in nets of energy.

"What witchery is this?" Artie's horse reared, eyes rolling in fear.

Puck flashed into existence to grab the trailing reins. "Whoa boy, easy. Just a little harmless magic." The horse calmed instantly. Puck smirked at Artie. "Sorry milord, but storming castles where the lady is a mage is a really bad idea."

Artie looked up to see that Rachel had appeared beside Quinn. The small woman held three orbs in her hands. Each orb glowed with the color of the nets.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced Lord Artie," Rachel told him. "Lady Rachel of Berry Fields, mage and fiancée of Lady Quinn of Frost Lake." She smiled at the blonde beside her. "Lady Gloria and Lord Fredrick send their regards, love, as well as your official title. Their response arrived just before they showed up." She looked pointedly at the men in the courtyard.

"I see." Quinn nodded.

"Artie, long time no see." Santana strolled into view with Brittany on her arm. That battle was rather anti-climatic, but she could deal with that so long as Brittany didn't need to fight.

"Santana!" Artie hissed. "I cursed you!"

"And I broke it," Brittany informed him. "You're really mean Artie. You should listen when people tell you things."

"No!" Artie began struggling. "I will have you as my bride Brittany! Even if I have to kill that freak beside you to do it!"

One of his daggers slid into his hand and he used it to slice Rachel's spell apart. She yelped as one of the orbs shattered in her hands, the broken pieces cutting her palms. Ignoring that, Artie spun his horse to charge at the other pair of women.

Puck let go before he was run over by the terrified horse. He cursed and shot after Artie, trying to grab whatever he could to stop the other man from harming his friends.

Santana stood in front of Brittany, sword in hand. She was nowhere near as skilled as Quinn, preferring hand-to-hand fighting, but she could use one well enough to win. She didn't see Brittany behind her with a dagger in one hand and throwing stars in the other to throw.

"Now!" Rachel yelled. She'd wanted to be prepared for something like this; she just hadn't expected it to be needed. Weapons that could cut through magic weren't unheard of but they were rare.

Mike and Tina had been hidden on the roof, but stood up to yank an actual net up between the charging Artie and the two women. Tina left Mike to hold it as she worked her own magic to try and wrap part of the net around the enraged lord.

Quinn was guarding Rachel as she readjusted the spell to compensate for the shattered one. Some of the villagers had already escaped, but as they were leaving instead of staying to help she ignored them. They weren't really a threat, but the guardsmen were.

Rachel yelped again as the second orb shattered and the guardsmen were freed. Destabilized, the third orb shattered as well as the spell ended. She quickly wrapped her hands so she could draw her own daggers.

Quinn was already holding off two guardsmen and another had engaged Puck. With magic flying around, the rest of the villagers (Finn included) had mutually reached the decision that leaving was the better option.

Arrows sliced thru the air, creating a thin barrier between Artie and Santana and Brittany even as others took down several guardsmen. Everyone paused to look at who was shooting. Santana was stunned to see guardsmen dressed in her family colors of red and black. Rachel was surprised to see a few in the rose pink and midnight blue. Quinn was shocked to see men dressed in Frost Lake colors of ice blue and white. The brief respite was over then and the fighting began again.

With reinforcements, however, it wasn't long before Lord Artie and his men were subdued. Once she was certain no one else was going to challenge her, Quinn was at Rachel's side to check on her hands. Mike and Tina were scrambling down from the roof. Mike went to help Puck as Tina went to check on Brittany. Puck hesitated for a second, but then he went to check on Rachel and Quinn.

"Next time, you're using unbreakable glass," Quinn was telling Rachel. "There, that's the last piece." There was a small pile of bloody glass shards beside them.

"What happened exactly?" Puck asked. "You've used that spell before and that's never happened."

'Lord Artie's dagger cuts through magic," Rachel explained, "but whatever magic is worked into the dagger to give it that ability caused a severe backlash effect that didn't so much cut a hole thru the spell as it shattered it. That's why the orb broke. It caused a chain reaction that destabilized the spell and I wasn't able to stabilize it before the rest unraveled."

"Are you alright?" Quinn asked now that Rachel's hands were at least wrapped.

"I'm alright," Rachel promised her. "You, however, need to go and see Tina."

"And you don't?" Quinn raised her eyebrow and winched when it pulled on the cut there.

Puck rolled his eyes. "As amusing as it is to watch the two of you flirt, I think you have guests." He nodded towards where several people had ridden in.

"Santana!" A young man that looked remarkably like Santana dismounted from his horse and ran to his sister.

"Justo!" Santana hugged the man tightly. "Mamí and Papí sent you with the Calvary, did they?"

"Yes, yes, Brittany!" He hugged the tall blonde. "Thank you for finding her."

"I told you I would," Brittany retorted. "How did you all get here so fast?"

"The 'all-roads-are-one' spell," he explained. "The Gray Fairy gave it to us so we could come and help. I just brought my personal guard and myself, but Mamí is already planning on coming to your wedding."

Santana smiled brightly and hugged her brother again. "It's good to see you big brother. Come, you need to meet the others."

As Justo was reuniting with Santana and Brittany, Quinn was facing her grandparents with almost as much joy.

"Lady Gloria, Lord Fredrick," Quinn bowed, uncertain on how to deal with her family members. Just because they had sent tutors and ensured she had wanted for almost nothing didn't mean that they would be happy to see her.

"Lucy, is that any way to great your grandparents?" Lady Gloria dismounted from her horse and embraced her lost grandchild. "Although I suppose that its Quinn now, isn't it?"

"Yes Grandmother," Quinn replied as she returned the hug. "I'd like to introduce you to my fiancée, Rachel of Berry Fields. Rachel, these are my grandparents."

Rachel curtsied. "A pleasure, thank you for coming with assistance."

Lord Fredrick surprised her by embracing her tightly. "We should be thanking you! You broke the curse on our Lucy."

"She's very easy to love my lord," Rachel replied, reaching to take one of Quinn's hands. "It wasn't hard to do at all once I beat her stubbornness with my own."

Both of the older nobles laughed at that while Quinn blushed. Greetings aside, guardsmen weren't the only thing her grandparents had brought. Servants and two other healers as well as a magistrate and his men were soon swarming the courtyard. Lady Gloria ushered everyone else inside to allow things to get done.

Once Puck and Mike were cleared by Tina (who wasn't going to let anyone else deal with her husband's health), they went to disengage the traps that hadn't been set off. The last thing they wanted was one of the others to accidently set one off. Santana was perfectly content to sit and hold Brittany. Quinn was much the same with Rachel.


	14. Chapter 14

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 14

I OWN NOTHING!

* * *

"So, there are two weddings to plan then?" Lady Gloria asked, curious as she watched the two couples later on.

"Yes, Santana and Brittany first and then myself and Quinn." Rachel answered. "We are hoping to have both of them here, if the Godmother would consent to performing the marriage blessing. If not, I'm certain my aunt can find someone even on short notice."

Lady Gloria laughed. "Yes, how is Lady Sylvester? Still terrorizing pages and squires?"

"Knights as well," Justo added in, grinning. "She's not afraid to prove if a knight's been sloppy with his or her training."

"Yes," Rachel answered, giggling at Justo's rather spot-on description of her aunt. "In fact, she's currently in the capital as a training mistress for the pages."

"So we've heard. Abigail's betrothed is a scholar in the palace." Lady Gloria told them. "His letters are vastly entertaining."

"Scholar?" Quinn looked at her grandmother. "I thought Father had arranged a marriage with one of Lord Desman of Rock Point sons?"

Lady Gloria scoffed. "He did, but your grandfather chased him out of Frost Lake after finding with the chambermaid. Abigail much prefers her scholar, who, in my opinion at least, will make a much better lord for Frost Lake than that bumbling fool your father chose."

Quinn nodded, happy for her sister despite their lack of relationship. "And my mother and brother?"

"You can ask us yourself Quinn." Lady Judith was standing in the doorway of the pallor they were seated in. A child about eight years old stood beside her. He was watching Quinn with curiosity.

"Mother…" Quinn stood and went to hug her mother tightly.

"Oh Quinn…you've grown so beautiful. Just as I knew you would." Lady Judith returned the hug tightly. "Meet your brother, Lord Leon of Wolfshire." Russell had died when he heard of the curse on his banished daughter being broken by a mage-girl from a minor noble family. He wasn't missed.

Quinn knelt down so she was eyelevel with the boy. "Hello Leo. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Quinn."

"I know," the boy said shyly. Like Quinn, he was much more Lady Judith's child than Lord Russell's. "It's nice to meet you."

"You know, my lady knows magic." Quinn told him softly as if it were a secret. "Would you like to meet her?"

Like any child, Leon's eyes widened at the thought of seeing real magic performed. "Really? Do you think she'll like me?"

"I'm certain she'll adore you." Quinn told him. She held out her hand and he took it.

Rachel was already standing. She smiled at the two. "Lady Judith, it is an honor to meet you." She curtsied. "You as well, Lord Leon."

"Can you really do magic?" Leon asked her.

"Yes," Rachel told him, "see?" She held up a hand and slowly a little kitten made up of light and dust swirled into existence.

"Wow…" Leon stared at it in wondered as the kitten turned into first a griffin, then an eagle, and then finally a dragon before dissolving into dust and light once again.

"I know," Quinn agreed, staring at Rachel with complete adoration. Rachel returned the smile with equal emotion.

"So, what are your wedding plans?" Lady Judith asked, taking a seat beside her mother.

"We're having a combined ceremony with Santana and Brittany," Rachel began, retaking her seat beside Quinn. "We're planning on having it as soon as spring as fully settled into place…"

* * *

The day arrived faster than any of them really thought it would. Godmother Gracie had agreed to give the blessing for both couples. Justo and Leon stood behind Quinn and Santana as Puck and Tina stood behind Rachel and Brittany as witnesses. Everyone else was gathered in the courtyard to watch.

Quinn was dressed in Frost Lake colors of ice blue and white, silver accenting sparkling in the sunlight. Santana was resplendent in red, black tourmaline and onyx caught flashes of sunlight as did their silver settings. Both were waiting for their ladies to walk towards them.

Sue had agreed to walk both Brittany and Rachel down the aisle in place of their fathers. Rachel's were seated with Puck's mother and little sister along with Quinn's family. Brittany's were sitting with the rest of Santana's family. Servants and guardsmen were sprinkled around the courtyard to watch. Mike had been given the task of guarding the rings.

The music began. Santana and Quinn caught their breaths as Rachel and Brittany emerged.

Rachel was wearing her family colors of rose pink and midnight blue, the gold accenting glittering like stars in the night sky. Silver and gold hairclips in the shape of stars held her hair in place. They had been a wedding gift from Quinn. To Quinn, Rachel had given her a silver dagger with a stylized lioness engraved on the hilt. Quinn wore it proudly on her belt.

Brittany's family colors were sky blue and bronze and the tall blonde wore them well. Her gift from Santana was the silver and bronze necklace she wore. Santana, like Quinn, had received a dagger only instead of a lioness the cat on hers was a jaguar.

When asked later, none of them remembered much of the actual ceremony. Both couples were far too wrapped up in each other to really care beyond saying the right words at the right times to seal themselves together more than they already had.

"So, are you happy?" Quinn asked Rachel later as they danced. It had taken awhile, but they were finally having the ball they had been planning since finding out about Brittany's pregnancy.

"Extremely," Rachel replied, kissing Quinn softly. "Do you think Santana would like to be a godmother?"

"What?" Quinn asked in confusion. Rachel just smiled at her. It slowly dawned on Quinn what Rachel meant. "Are you?" Like their friends, they hadn't bothered to wait for the wedding to happen before consummating their relationship.

"Yes, Tina confirmed it for me yesterday." Rachel replied. "In about eight months, our friends won't be the only couple with a little one running around."

Quinn smiled widely and spun Rachel around. "That's just…_purr-fect_."

THE END


End file.
